One Night Mistake
by Tina101
Summary: While Joanne's away on a business trip, Maureen is unfaithful.  Now, our diva is forced to grow up and accept her mistakes.
1. Chapter 1

_One Night Mistake_

**Chapter 1:**

It was the night before Joanne was supposed to come home from her business trip. Maureen sat at the bar of a local club.

"Got a smoke?" a deep, strong voice asked. Maureen turned around in her barstool only to be met with two dazzling green eyes. This handsome stranger instantly captivated her. A flirty smirk crept across her face.

"Depends on what you have for me," she countered. The handsome stranger slid into the vacant barstool next to Maureen.

"How about we start with drinks?" he suggested. Maureen tossed her hair carelessly over her shoulder. Thoughts of Joanne's emanate return quickly fled her mind.

Groaning, Maureen lifted her head. The bright sunlight caused her to slam her eyelids back down. After several minutes, she reopened her eyes to get her bearings. She was lying face down on a bed in a cheap hotel room with only a ratty sheet draped across her waist. Maureen looked at the cheap clock on the nightstand. It was after noon.

"Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit," Maureen muttered as she scrambled out of bed and tugged on her clothes, which were scattered all across the dingy room. Joanne would be home in an hour! Once Maureen was dressed, she dashed out of the hotel and down the street.

When Joanne got home, the familiar sound of the hairdryer caused her to wander into the bathroom. She wrapped her arms around Maureen's waist from behind. Right away, Maureen turned off her hairdryer.

"How was your trip?" she asked as she turned around in Joanne's arms.

"Lonely, I missed you," Joanne replied between kisses.

"Say we fix that?" Maureen suggested seductively. Joanne pressed her lips against Maureen's in a fiery kiss. Maureen wound her fingers through Joanne's curls and continued the heated lip lock. Joanne broke off the kiss and untied the sash to Maureen's bathrobe. The offending fabric slid into a puddle on the floor, and the couple went right back to where they had left off.

Joanne gently brushed a dark curl out of Maureen's face as her girlfriend slept peacefully next to her. Their day had consisted mainly of sex, making out and a little cuddling before it turned into more sex. Now, they were both pretty worn out. However, Joanne couldn't help but stare at her gorgeous girlfriend. Her dark lashes brushed her pale cheeks. Her red, full lips were parted ever so slightly, and her chest rose and fell with each even breath she took. Joanne couldn't help but feel deep, undying love for Maureen. Sure, she had her flaws, but nobody's perfect. Joanne kissed her cheek softly before curling up against her to go to sleep for the night.

**A/N:** Sorry it's so short!

Tina101


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2:**

Maureen sat at the kitchen table with her head in her hands. Joanne wrapped her arms around her from behind.

"How are you feeling, Honeybear?" Maureen groaned loudly.

"I don't feel well," she complained.

"I know, baby, I know. You just go down to the clinic today, and you'll feel better," Joanne cooed. Maureen nodded meekly. She didn't feel well enough to argue. Joanne kissed her cheek affectionately before leaving for work.

Maureen _hated_ doctors. Every time she went, something bad happened. Now, she was being stuck with a needle to draw blood. Maureen also hated needles. They reminded her of Roger and Mimi's old habits. Even if it were a tiny pinprick, she would tense up, making the pain worse. The nurse removed the needle and put a band-aid over the oozing crimson liquid.

"There you go, you're done," she said. Relieved, Maureen slid off the table and quickly exited the room without so much as a thank you. All she wanted to do was curl up in bed for the rest of the day.

When Joanne got home from work, she found Maureen curled up in bed with a comforter drawn around her. All that was showing was the top of her head. Joanne kissed the exposed patch of hair softly before changing into more comfortable clothes. There was a moan from behind her.

"Pookie?" Maureen mumbled sleepily. Joanne crawled across the bed and kissed Maureen's cheek softly.

"Did I wake you?" Maureen nodded. "I'm sorry, Honeybear. What did the doctor say?"

"It's probably just a bug. They drew some blood." Joanne nodded and squeezed Maureen's hand.

"I want you to stay in for a while until you're sure what's wrong, okay?" Maureen nodded. She knew what that meant; stay away from Roger, Collins and Mimi so they don't get sick themselves. "Do you want anything?"

"I just want to go back to bed." Maureen lay back down against the soft pillows. Joanne fixed the comforter over her and waited until she fell asleep.

The telephone rang four days later. Groaning, Maureen rolled off of the couch and trudge into the kitchen.

"Hello?"  
"Is this the home of Maureen Johnson?"

"Yeah, speaking."

"This is the Avenue G clinic calling to inform you that your blood work came back." Maureen waited for the nurse to continue. "Congratulations, you're pregnant." Maureen's entire world seemed to come to a screeching halt.

"Why the hell are you congratulating me!?" she screamed. "I'm a fucking lesbian!" Before the nurse could say anything else, Maureen slammed down the telephone. Hot tears spilled down her cheeks. She could only think of one person to go to that she could trust.

The buzzer went off repeatedly as if someone was pressing it over and over again without waiting for an answer. Collins got up from his work and pressed the button in the kitchen.

"Yeah?"

"Collins?" Maureen sobbed. "Lemme up." Sensing Maureen's desperation, Collins buzzed her up.

Maureen yanked open the door to Collins' apartment and flew into his arms. Sobs shook her thin body.

"My life's over," she moaned. "It's all over. I can't fucking believe it!"

"What, what honey?" Collins gently wiped away Maureen's tears with his thumbs. Maureen took several shaky breaths.

"About a month ago, I cheated on Joanne. Now, I'm…I'm pregnant," she sobbed. Collins rubbed her back and held her close. "Joanne's gonna leave me, and I can't stand that."

"Then why did you cheat on her?"

"I don't know, okay!? I don't know." Collins kissed the top of Maureen's head softly.

"You're going to have to talk to Joanne, there's no way around that." Maureen backed away from Collins.

"Will you come with me?" she begged.

"I'm sorry, Mo, but this is between you and Joanne." Maureen crossed her arms over her chest and glared at Collins.

"Fine, just abandon me," she spat.

"I'm not abandoning you, I'm letting you fight your own battles. You're my best friend, and I only want to help." Maureen wrapped her arms around Collins' neck and calmed down some more.

Joanne was already home by the time Maureen returned form Collins'. Right away, she could tell that something was wrong.

"What's wrong, Honeybear?" she asked before giving Maureen a kiss. Maureen burst into a fresh set of tears.

"You're going to hate me."

"That's not possible."

"Yes it is! I've messed up _so_ badly."

"Please talk to me, baby."

"Promise you won't yell at me." Joanne let out a sigh.

"Okay, I promise that I won't yell at you. Now, please talk to me about what's bothering you."  
"While you were on that business trip last month, I met a guy at this bar."

"Oh God."

"Please let me finish!" Joanne took a deep breath. It wasn't a good sign that there was more. "The clinic called today. I'm pregnant." Joanne grabbed the back of the recliner with her left hand and rubbed her eyes with her thumb and forefinger on her right hand. "Joanne?" Maureen asked meekly as she put her hand on Joanne's. Joanne jerked away.

"Don't, Maureen, just don't. I can't take this. It's one thing to cheat on me…_again_, it's another to get pregnant because of it."

"So this is my fault!?"  
"Of course it is! _You_ cheated on _me_!"

"And now I'm going to have to pay the price!"

"Alone." Maureen's face fell as Joanne's comment sank in.

"What?"  
"Along, I can't deal with this kind of bullshit. Please leave, I can't handle your baggage." Maureen buried her face in her hands as Joanne stormed off to her home office. That could have gone _much_ better.

Collins stuck leftover Chinese food in the microwave and pressed reheat. His buzzer went off.

"Hello?"

"It's Maureen. I need a place to stay." Maureen's weak voice crackled over the cheat intercom system. Collins buzzed her up.

Maureen opened the door. All she had with her was her purse and a battered suitcase. Collins rushed over and took her suitcase.

"You told Joanne?" he guessed. Maureen nodded.

"She kicked me out." The scent of Collins' Chinese food wafted throughout the apartment. "Oh God, I think I'm going to be sick." Maureen bolted for the bathroom. She flung herself down on the toilet and emptied her stomach. Collins rushed after her and pulled back her long hair.

"Do you need anything?" he asked. Maureen shook her head. This whole sick thing was going to drive her crazy!


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3:**

Maureen was curled up on the couch fast asleep. Collins gently covered her up with a spare blanket and left her a note. He wanted to head down to the loft to see Mark, Roger and Mimi.

At the loft, Roger grabbed Mimi by the waist and pulled her down onto his vacant lap. Mimi immediately molded herself to his body. The loft door slid open, and Collins came inside.

"Hey man, what's up?" Mark asked. Groaning, Collins flopped down into an empty chair.

"Maureen and Joanne broke up," he replied.

"Oh, why?" Mimi asked.

"Maureen cheated on Joanne again, and she's pregnant."

"Oh wow," Roger commented.

"Where is she now?" Mark asked.

"At my place, sleeping. She's absolutely crushed, so I wanted her to get some rest."

"Poor Maureen," Mimi said.

"Poor Maureen!? Mimi, she cheated on Joanne!" Roger exclaimed hotly. Mimi got to her feet and rounded on Roger.

"She still needs our help! Come on, Roger, Maureen's one of your best friends. You have to be supportive of her!"  
"I will be supportive, but I won't feel sorry for her."

"Fine, be heartless," Mimi spat before storming off to the kitchen to take a break from Roger.

Maureen slowly opened her eyes. There was a blanket draped over her and a steaming bowl of soup on the coffee table next to her. She sat up and held the warm bowl in her hands. Collins came out of the bathroom.

"Hey Mo," he said as he sat down next to her. "How are you feeling?" Maureen shrugged.

"Okay, I guess." She leaned against Collins and silently ate her soup.

"We need to talk about what you want to do with the baby."  
"What about an abortion?" Maureen suggested. Collins shook his head.

"That goes against all of your pro-life work. Besides, could you really murder your baby?" Maureen shook her head.

"No, I can't do that, but I can't be a mother either!" she exclaimed.

"What about adoption?" Maureen shook her head again.

"I can't let someone else raise my child," she argued.

"Then it looks like you're going to keep this baby."

"I can't raise a baby all on my own! I can barely take care of myself!"

"We'll all be here to help you. You won't need to go through an of this alone." Maureen finished her soup in silence.

Joanne rolled over in bed. She still wasn't used to waking up alone in bed. Even after nearly two weeks of being without Maureen, there was a dull ache in her heart. She missed the noise; the unexpected pounces for sex at the most inconvenient times and even the fighting. Joanne looked at her alarm clock. It was time for her to get up fro work. She rolled out of bed and trudged to the kitchen for some early morning coffee. No matter how much her heart longed for Maureen, she could never forget what she had done.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4:**

Maureen barely left the couch. She would spend her days staring straight ahead with her blanket drawn tightly around her. While Collins was at work, Mimi would stop by to be with her.

"Hey sweetie," she cooed as she kissed Maureen's cheek softly. "How are you?" Maureen moaned.

"Horrible, I feel horrible. I need a smoke."

"No way, you can't smoke and kill your baby." Maureen rolled her eyes. "Say Roger and I quit smoking along with you?" Maureen sat up.

"You'd really do that for me?"  
"Yeah, of course. We're your good friends, we're here to help." Maureen smiled gratefully at the sign of support.

Collins picked up the phone on his desk in what was supposedly his office. It was more like a small storage closet with a desk and chair jammed against the far wall. Collins dialed the number to Joanne's office.

"Joanne Jefferson's office," Joanne said after several rings.

"Hey Jo, it's Collins."

"Oh hi Collins, how are you?"

"I'm pretty good. I'm actually calling you about Maureen." Collins heard Joanne take a deep breath. "She's really depressed, and I'm really worried about her."  
"I'm sorry Collins, but there's nothing I can do."  
"You could talk to her. I'm tutoring this evening, so it'll just be you two."  
"I don't know…"

"Please, for Maureen and her baby. Just go see her, I think that it'll be good for you both." Joanne let out a sigh.

"Okay, I'll go," she agreed slowly. She said goodbye to Collins, and they both went back to their respective jobs.

There was a knock on the door. Maureen raised her head. If it were someone important, they'd come back later. Now, it sounded like someone was unlocking the door. Maureen lay back down and closed her eyes. She heard footsteps and felt someone sit on the edge of the couch next to her. The person gently ran their fingers through her hair. Maureen opened her eyes. She was surprised to see Joanne sitting next to her.

"Did I wake you?" Joanne asked. Maureen shook her head.

"No, I was already awake." Joanne continued to run her fingers through Maureen's matted hair.

"How are you?"  
"Lonely."  
"I know, I miss you too."

"Then why did you kick me out?"  
"Because you cheated on me! I don't know if I can trust you." Maureen sat up.

"Please, Joanne, I messed up, and I admit that. This is my entire fault. Please take me back." Joanne shook her head. Tears rolled down her cheeks.

"I'm sorry, I can't." With that said, Joanne got up to leave. Maureen rushed after her.

"Joanne! Please!" Maureen fell to her knees and buried her face in her hands. Sobs shook her entire body. Joanne froze, her hand hovering above the doorknob. Her heartstrings were being tugged at with unimaginable strength. She went over and wrapped her arms around Maureen. "Don't leave me, please don't leave me," Maureen sobbed. Joanne rubbed her back soothingly.

"I'm not baby, I'm not," she promised. "I'm not leaving you."

Collins opened the door to his apartment. He was surprised to find Joanne and Maureen curled up together on the couch, fast asleep. He smiled to himself and covered them up with the spare blanket. Maybe now that Maureen and Joanne were back together, things would be different


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5:**

Maureen put the last of her clothes back in their respective drawers. It felt fantastic to be home. She and Joanne were slowly working things out. After all, their lives were going to be drastically different in the next year. They were going to be mothers soon.

When Joanne got home from work, Maureen was curled up on the couch reading a magazine. Joanne went over to the couch and took a seat next to Maureen.

"How was work, Pookie?" Maureen asked.

"Pretty good. I made some calls today. We're going to go down to the clinic to get you and the baby checked out." Maureen glanced at Joanne.

"A doctor's office!? I _hate_ doctors," she complained. Joanne brushed a strand of hair out of Maureen's face.

"I know, baby, but you have this baby growing inside of you; think about it. It needs you to be healthy so it can be big and strong." Maureen put her hand on her still flat stomach.

"It's real, I have a baby growing inside of me. A baby without a father," she croaked. Joanne wrapped her arms around her.

"It'll have two mommies, who needs men anyway?" Maureen choked out a small laugh. "See, there you go." Maureen leaned against Joanne and inhaled the soothing scent of her perfume.

Maureen huffed down the street while Joanne rushed after her. They had just gotten done with their first doctor's appointment.

"Well that was a waste of time," Maureen grumbled. Joanne fell into step next to her. "The baby's too small to tell anything." Joanne slid her hand into Maureen's. "What a waste of time. God, couldn't they have at least told us _something_?"

"They did, that you need to quit smoking."

"I'll have you know that I haven't smoked _anything_ in a month! No cigarettes, no joints, no nothing!" Joanne kissed the back of Maureen's hand softly.

"I know, Honeybear, and I'm proud of you." Maureen continued to complain about the doctor's visit as she and Joanne walked the rest of the way home.

Mimi nuzzled Roger's neck affectionately. The pungent scent of cigarette smoke caused her to sit up.

"You were smoking, weren't you?" she asked sternly as she twirled Roger's wedding band around his finger.

"Yes, I had _one_ cigarette. Personally, I don't see why we have to quit with Maureen."

"Because she's our friend, and she needs our help." Mimi straddled Roger's lap and walked her fingers up and down his chest. "I'll make it worth your while," she purred. Roger grabbed her and kissed her roughly. Mimi ran her fingers through his hair as she deepened the kiss. Roger moaned with pleasure. The vibrations sent chills down Mimi's spine. "I love you, Mr. Davis," she mumbled against Roger's lips.

"I love you too, Mrs. Davis."

The gentle rise and fall soothed Maureen as the couple cuddled together on the couch. Joanne wrapped her arms tighter around her. Maureen cuddled even closer. It was as if their bodies were one. She couldn't figure out why she even cheated on such a wonderful woman in the first place. Joanne kissed the top of Maureen's head softly. Neither one said anything. Everything was just too perfect to risk ruining it all. Joanne had returned from work early to spend some time with Maureen. Things were beginning to look up for the couple. Maureen kept expressing deep regret for her actions. Now, she was being forced to grow up fast. One week she was a heavy partier, the next she was a mother to be.

The following week, Maureen glanced around her and Joanne's apartment. It was very nice, but it was also very small. There was a bedroom, a bathroom and Joanne's office down a small hallway off a quaint family room and kitchen. It was an apartment built for two people, _maybe_ three, but that was really pushing it. Maureen poured herself a glass of milk. A sly smile crept across her fact. She knew how to make everything up to Joanne. She grabbed the phone off the wall next to her and dialed the familiar number to the loft.

"Hello?"

"Hi Marky, it's Maureen."

"Hey Mo, how are you?"

"I'm good. You wanna know how you'll be my very best friend forever and ever?" Maureen heard Mark sigh.

"No. Whatever it is, no." Maureen began to pout.

"Aww, come on, Marky. It's not just for me. Come on sweetie, please."

"Okay, what is it?"


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6:**

Maureen waited impatiently outside her building for Mark. Tucked under her arm were the classified ads. Maureen let out a frustrated sigh. She had been late getting outside, making Mark _really_ lat. Crossing her arms over her chest, she leaned against the cool brick wall of her building. Finally, Mark rushed down the street, looking pretty flustered.

"Hey Mo, sorry I'm late," he said as he gave Maureen a hug. "Roger turned off my alarm clock."

"Why?"

"Your guess is as good as mine." Maureen tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "So, ready to go?"

"Yeah, I went through the classifieds for some good apartments after Joanne left for work. Most of them are around here." Mark looked at Maureen's handiwork with a short nod.

"Wow, Maureen, I'm impressed. Say we get started?" Maureen looped her arm through Mark's, and they began to walk down the street.

Maureen wandered around the empty apartment. Her footsteps echoed on the polished hardwood floors. She and Mark were at apartment number five. It was starting to get late, and they were both starting to get pretty tired. Maureen looked around the apartment with a scrutinizing gaze. She kept thinking about what Joanne would like. All of this hard work was for her. This apartment was by far the best. It had three bedrooms; one would be for Joanne's office. The rooms were large, but not too large. Maureen bounced out of the bathroom to where Mark was talking to the real estate agent.

"I _love_ it, it's perfect," she gushed. "Joanne will love it too." The real estate agent produced several forms.

"Okay, Ms. Johnson, I just need you to fill out these forms."

"Could I take this home to my girlfriend?"

"Of course. Here's my card. I need an answer by the end of the week." Maureen was beaming. She had actually done something productive nearly on her own.

Maureen was exhausted by the time she got home. She lay down on the couch almost right away. Her shirt rose up, showing her slightly swollen stomach. Maureen couldn't help but push down on the squishy flesh with her fingertips gently. A small smile crept across her face. There was a baby, an actual human being, growing inside of her. Whether or not it was a mistake, it still had to be one of the most amazing things ever.

Joanne unlocked the front door and went inside. Maureen was sprawled out on the couch; her soft snores floating throughout the apartment. Joanne carefully covered her up with the afghan from the back of the couch and kissed her cheek softly. Papers on the coffee table caught her attention. She picked them up and scanned them over. They were moving papers. Joanne looked at Maureen with a pain expression. She was leaving her, _with_ the baby! Joanne wiped her eyes. She wouldn't make a big deal about Maureen leaving; it's her choice and her baby.

Moaning, Maureen rolled over. There was a blanket on top of her that hadn't been there before. she sat up and rubbed her eyes. Joanne was in the kitchen making dinner. It was obvious to Maureen that something was wrong with her. Maureen got up and wrapped her arms around Joanne from behind.

"How was your day?" Joanne asked rather stiffly.

"Good, I have a surprise for you," Maureen replied in a singsong voice. Joanne turned around and pushed Maureen away.

"I saw." Maureen's face fell. "Congratulations on throwing your life away even more."

"Pookie, Mark and I-"

"Mark!? Is he the father!?"  
"No! I called Mark yesterday, and we spent all day today looking for the perfect apartment. Look at it, there's a master bedroom, a bedroom for the baby and an office for you."

"For me? Oh God, I thought that you were moving out with the baby."

"No, of course not! I wanted to surprise you with a larger apartment. That way, you don't have to give up your home office for a nursery."

"God, I feel so stupid now. You were only trying to help." Joanne wrapped her arms around Maureen's neck. The couple stood in the kitchen in each other's arms, completely forgetting about the food on the stove. Suddenly, smoke started to billow out from the pan on the stove. "Oh fuck," Joanne muttered as she whirled around and switched off the flame. Maureen couldn't help but giggle.

"Looks like you destroyed our dinner, Pookie." Joanne sighed.

"Looks like I did."

"Can we get pizza?" Maureen bounced up and down excitedly. "Please? I _really_ want pizza."

"Okay, go ahead; order pizza." Maureen skipped over to the phone and pressed speed dial number six. Pizza was probably much better than whatever Joanne had been cooking


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7:**

Once Maureen was sure that Joanne was gone for the day, she pulled a bright green binder our from under the bed. This apartment was going to be her latest project. She was going to paint it and decorate it all for Joanne. There was a knock on the front door. Maureen scrambled off the bed to answer it.

"Hey Meems!" she chirped when she opened the door. "What's up?" Maureen gave Mimi a warm hug.

"I came to see if you wanted to go out for lunch."

"Sure, come on in. I want to show you my new project." Mimi followed Maureen inside. Maureen handed her her binder. Mimi flipped through it. Inside were pictures of the new apartment, paint samples and fabric samples.

"Is this your new apartment?" Maureen nodded excitedly.

"I'm gonna fix it up for Joanne."

"Does she know about it?"

"She knows that I got the apartment, but that's it." Mimi continued to flip through the binder as she talked to Maureen.

"And she's cool with that?" A smile spread across Maureen's face.

"She's completely wrapped up in this _major_ case. I doubt she even knows day from night right now." Mimi held up a thick strip of fabric with ducks on it.

"This is absolutely adorable, Mo!" She put the fabric back in its respective place and closed the binder. "Fuck lunch, let's get started on this!" Maureen jumped up and down with joy.

Maureen and Mimi dumped their latest purchases on the floor of the empty apartment. Mimi looked around a little while Maureen unloaded their loot. Once she was done, Mimi plopped down on the floor next to her.

"Okay, where do you want to start?" she asked. Maureen stopped to think.

"Let's start in here. I was thinking tan walls with yellow curtains and a light blue slipcover for the couch."

"I _love_ that! Once you pick out the color, I can work in here while you work on the next room." Maureen flipped through her binder.

"I really like this color." Mimi looked at the sample paint color. She was starting to get excited about this project like Maureen.

When Mimi got home from the apartment that evening, Mark and Roger were playing poker on the floor. There were several beer bottles scattered all around them.

"Hey baby," Roger said as Mimi gave him a kiss and took a seat between him and Mark. "Where were you for so long?"  
"Maureen's fixing up their new apartment as a surprise for Joanne, and I'm helping." Roger shook his head. "What!? What's that look for?"

"Maureen gets these great ideas in her head, but that's where they should stay," Mark explained. "She can't keep herself organized."

"She found that apartment," Mimi reasoned.

"Yeah, with help," Roger pointed out.

"So what!? She's got a lot on her plate!" Mimi argued.

"She brought it on herself!" Roger exclaimed. Mimi stood up. She was clearly fuming at Roger.

"Screw you, Roger Davis! You're nothing more than a selfish bastard!" Mimi stormed off to her and Roger's bedroom, slamming the door behind her. Not knowing what to do, Mark and Roger simply stared at each other.

Late that night, Roger silently stripped down to his boxers and slid into bed. Mimi was already in bed with her back to him. roger kissed her shoulder softly. Mimi rolled over and opened her eyes.

"What do you want, Davis?" she demanded.

"To say goodnight to my wife," Roger replied.

"No way, I haven't forgiven you for being an ass." Roger sighed. His hair fell in his face, making him look absolutely irresistible to Mimi.

"Come on, honey, what do I have to do to get you to forgive me?" Mimi yawned loudly.

"Let me go back to sleep," she replied sleepily.

"Done." Roger rested his head on Mimi's shoulder. It didn't take long for them both to fall asleep.

**A/N:** The main room for Maureen and Joanne's apartment is based off of Cory and Topanga's apartment after they fix it up and junk in Boy Meets World, in case anyone wanted to know what it looks like.

Tina101


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8:**

Mimi wandered into the master bedroom with a soda in her hand. Maureen was busy painting the room a shade of pale purple.

"I'm done!" Mimi announced. Maureen climbed off the ladder and put her paint roller in its tray.

"Good, you can work on Pookie's office now. The paint and stuff is already in there."

"Okay." Maureen picked up her roller and began her diligent work again. "Hey sweetie, why don't you take a break? You've been working hard for two weeks straight."

"No way, we've gotta be able to move in by next week," Maureen insisted firmly as she painted the last bit of the wall.

"Why?"

"Joanne's going to be on another business rip. I'll be able to move everything while she's gone for two weeks."

"You mean we'll all help you move. Now, please take a break."

"I'm fine!" Maureen insisted. Sighing, Mimi left to paint Joanne's office. This battle just wasn't worth fighting at the moment.

Pouting, Maureen stared at her reflection in the bathroom the following evening. No matter how much she sucked it in, squeezed and held her breath, there was no denying it; she was getting fat. Maureen pulled on her shirt and sulked out of the bathroom. The concept of getting fat didn't appeal to her at all.

Joanne went over and kissed Maureen softly on the lips while Maureen sulked on the couch. It was obvious that something was wrong with her girlfriend.

"What's wrong, Honeybear?"

"I'm getting so fat and ugly!"

"Oh no, you're beautiful and perfect."

"No, I'm beautifully tragic." Joanne sat on the edge of the couch and stroked Maureen's cheek softly.

"You're the world's most gorgeous woman, and don't you dare let anyone tell you otherwise." Joanne gave Maureen another kiss. Maureen's mood swings were starting to worry her. "Will you be okay while I'm away?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine. It's only for two weeks." Maureen paused. "Now come lay down with me." Maureen wrapped her arms around Joanne and pulled her as close as possible as they both lay down.

Mimi slid onto Roger's lap and snaked her arms around his neck. She began to kiss his neck softly. Roger's hands instantly found her ass. Mimi nibbled on his earlobe sensually.

"I love you," she purred.

"I love you too." Mimi continued to leave a trail of kiss to Roger's mouth. The couple's lips met in a tender kiss. Roger squeezed Mimi's ass, causing her to gasp. He took complete advantage of this and thrust his tongue into her mouth. He gently massaged her tongue with his. Mimi let out a moan, which Roger felt more than he heard. Right then, the loft door slid open.

"Get a room!" Collins announced as he flopped down on an empty armchair. The weathered piece of furniture groaned under the sudden addition of weight.

"We _had_ a room until you came barging in on us," Roger grumbled. Mimi stretched out across the couch with her head nestled comfortably in Roger's lap. Working with Maureen all day completely wore her out. It didn't take long for sleep to claim her.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9:**

Joanne gave Maureen one last passionate kiss before grabbing her suitcase and briefcase on the floor next to her.

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" she asked for what seemed like the millionth time that morning.

"I'll be fine," Maureen assured. Her face fell. "I'm going to miss you."  
"I'll miss you too." Maureen pinched Joanne's ass playfully. "Okay, I guess I'll see you in two weeks. I love you, Honeybear."

"I love you too, Pookie." Maureen watched sadly as Joanne left. Both couldn't help but remember what had happened the last time Joanne had left.

Maureen was just finishing up her lunch when the rest of the Bohemians arrived to help her pack up the apartment.

"Hey Mo," Collins said as he gave her a hug. "Let me see that baby bump of yours." Maureen pulled up her shirt revealing her baby bump.

"Are you excited?" Mark asked.

"Kinda. Right now, I'm excited about moving, so let's get to work!" Maureen rushed to Joanne's office and returned with a large stack of folded up cardboard boxes. "I hid these in Pookie's office."

"Now how exactly did you get this entire grand scheme by Ms. Ivy-League?" Collins asked, waiting anxiously to hear this answer. A sly smile crept across Maureen's face.

"Easy, I would bring up the apartment at the worst times, so when she found the boxes and all, it was easy to tell her that we had talked about them already." Roger shook his head. Maureen's evil plans were unbelievably well thought out at times.

Maureen clambered up onto the counter to get the last of the dishes out of the cabinet. Mimi came out of the bathroom and stopped.

"Maureen! What the hell are you doing!?" she exclaimed. Maureen jumped off the counter.

"Packing up the dishes," she replied as if Mimi had asked the world's dumbest question.

"You have to be careful! You have a baby to think about."

"I'm only trying to help," Maureen said, on the verge of bursting into tears. Mimi put her hand on her shoulder and gave it a squeeze.

"I know, honey, I know." She fixed Maureen's messy hair. "You can help by finishing up the curtains for the nursery."

"You don't want my help?" Now Maureen had tears in her eyes.

"Of course we want your help." Mimi put her hand on Maureen's baby bump. "Feel that? That's your baby; if you fall or something it could get hurt. Are you really going to risk that when there's four of us here willing to climb on top of counters like monkeys?" Maureen shook her head. "Good, now why don't you get started on those curtains?" Maureen put her hand next to Mimi's and rubbed her swollen stomach for a second before taking a seat at her sewing machine.

There were boxes piled up all over the place. Mimi wrapped her arms around Roger's waist. It was close to one in the morning, and everyone was completely exhausted. Maureen was fast asleep on the couch, because everything else, including the bed, was packed up.

"I can't believe we got everything packed up in one day," Mimi said quietly.

"It's not that big of an apartment, and Joanne kept everything organized," Collins pointed out. Mimi felt her eyes getting heavy. Roger kissed the top of her head affectionately.

"We should get going, it's late," he said. He gently guided a half asleep Mimi out of the cluttered apartment.

Maureen felt someone gently shake her shoulder. Groaning loudly in protest, she opened her eyes. Early morning sunlight glared at her.

"Go away," she grumbled.

"Come on, Maureen, time to get up," Mimi said as gently as possible. "The guys are ready to start carrying boxes down to the moving van. You need to get up." Maureen rolled off the couch and stumbled to her feet. Mimi rubbed her back soothingly.

"What time is it?"

"Nine thirty," Mark replied.

"It's so early!"

"Don't remind me," Roger grumbled. Mimi shot him a dirty look, causing him to promptly close his mouth.

"What are we going to do?" Maureen asked Mimi.

"_We_ are going to head down to the new apartment to do some last minute things while _they_ do the actual loading and such."

"That's not fair!" Roger complained.

"Are you _really_ going to let a four and a half month pregnant woman and your girlfriend lug boxes and furniture all day?" Not in the mood to argue, Roger simply walked away.

"You girls go ahead, we'll see you in a few hours," Collins said. Maureen grabbed her purse and left with Mimi.

Late that night, Roger lay sprawled out on his stomach in his boxers on his bed. Mimi came into the room and smiled.

"What's wrong, sexy?" she asked.

"I can't move," Roger groaned.

"Poor baby. I know how we could fix that. First we can start with this." Mimi straddled Roger and began to give him a massage. Roger moaned with pleasure as Mimi kneaded his shoulders and back.

"I like this part."

"Then you'll _love_ the next part," Mimi said seductively.

Half an hour later, Mimi leaned back against Roger's strong chest as he wrapped his arms around her. the warm bath water swirled around them. Roger cupped Mimi breast in his large hand and squeezed. Mimi squirmed uncomfortably.

"Come on, Meems, why not?"

"Because we're both exhausted, and frankly, I'm not in the mood for sex."

"Not in the mood for sex!? Is that even possible? I didn't even know that that was possible, especially coming from your mouth." Mimi drew lazy circles on the backs of Roger's hands with her thumbs.

"Please Roger, let's just relax. Tomorrow night, I'm all yours." Mimi tipped her head back and kissed Roger tenderly.

"Promise?"

"Promise." Roger fingered Mimi's simple gold wedding band around her finger as they continued to cuddle in the bathtub.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10:**

Joanne exited the elevator and walked down the hall towards her apartment. She was surprised to find Maureen leaning against their door.

"Pookie! You're home!" Maureen exclaimed as she threw her arms around Joanne. "Did you miss me?"

"I missed you both." Maureen grabbed Joanne's hand.

"Come on, I have a surprise for you."

"Let me put my things away first."

"Nope, my surprise first. Trust me, you'll love it." Without waiting for an answer, Maureen began to pull back towards the elevator.

Joanne let out a frustrated sigh twenty minutes later. Maureen was guiding her down the hall with her hands over her eyes.

"Where are we?" she asked.

"We're almost there," Maureen replied in a sing-songy voice. They stopped walking. "Okay, one second. Now keep your eyes closed, got it?"

"Got it." Joanne felt Maureen remove her hands from her eyes and heard the jingling of keys and the sound of a door opening.

"Give me your hands." Joanne obliged. Maureen carefully guided her a couple of feet forward. "Okay, you can open your eyes now." Joanne opened her eyes and gasped.

"Oh Maureen, it's _amazing_! Did you do all this?"

"I had help…lots of help. So, do you like it?"

"Like it!? I _love_ it!" Joanne wrapped her arms around Maureen's neck and kissed her passionately. "And I love you too."

"I missed you, Pookie; I was so lonely."

"Well, you had the baby." Maureen rubbed her stomach affectionately. "And I missed you too. It looks like you had a lot to keep you busy."

"Come see the nursery." Joanne followed Maureen to the nursery.

Joanne looked around the nursery, taking it all in. Everything was either a soft shade of blue or yellow. There were ducks all over the place.

"Hey Honeybear, what if the baby's a girl? Everything in here is blue." Maureen crossed her arms over her chest.

"I don't think that we should expose our child to ender stereotypes. So what if a girl grows up in a room with blue curtains and bedding?"

"Okay, I'm just asking. I'm impressed with all this fixing up." Maureen smiled seductively.

"You wanna reward me?" Joanne pinched Maureen's ass playfully before retreating to the master bedroom. Maureen rushed after her for some fun.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11:**

Maureen came out of the bedroom in one of Roger's band shirts and blue jeans. Joanne was scrambling around desperately trying to get her work things together. She looked at Maureen and sighed.

"What?" Maureen asked, clearly hurt.

"Nothing."

"What!?"

"I don't see why you won't wear maternity clothes. Roger and Collins' shirts won't last you much longer." Maureen wrinkled her nose is disgust.

"Maternity clothes!? Eww!"

"Not all maternity clothes are gross." Joanne fished out her credit card and put it on the table. "Here's the credit card, why don't you call Mimi and go shopping?"  
"Okay, I guess." Joanne gave Maureen a quick kiss. "Love you."

"Love you too." Joanne gave Maureen a final kiss before leaving for work.

That afternoon, Maureen took the plastic bag from the cashier and left the store with Mimi by her side.

"Thanks for coming with me," she said as she and Mimi walked down the street.

"Any excuse to go shopping. Roger was in one of his moods again. I was glad to get out of the loft." Mimi looped her arm through Maureen's, and they continued to walk down the bustling New York City street. "So, are you excited?"

"Yea, I guess I am. It's weird, you know, to think that there's baby growing inside of me."

"It's so exciting though! You're going to be a mommy!" Mimi bounced up and down like a small child as she and Maureen walked down the street.

Later that evening, Joanne walked into the master bedroom after a long day at work. Maureen was busy sorting through her new clothes from her shopping spree.

"Should I be worried about the next credit card bill?" Joanne asked. Maureen spun around.

"No, it wasn't that bad." Maureen paused. "I got you something." She handed Joanne a plastic bag. Joanne reached in and pulled out a pink tie. "Your black tie is so boring."  
"Thank you, Honeybear, I'll wear it to work tomorrow, I love it." Joanne gave Maureen a quick kiss on the lips. Maureen yawned loudly.

"Oh God, I'm wiped."

"Why don't you take a nap for an hour while I make dinner," Joanne suggested. "How does spaghetti sound?"

"Do we have any alfredo sauce?"  
"I can check."

"And rootbeer?"  
"Rootbeer? No, we don't." Maureen pouted. "But I'll run to the store to get you some. You take a nap, you had a long day." Maureen shoved all her new clothes to one side of the bed and curled up on the free space. Joanne kissed her cheek softly before leaving for the store.

At dinner, Maureen scarfed down her third plate of pasta. She didn't remember being _this_ hungry before.

"So I take it my cooking passes the test," Joanne said. Maureen wiped her face.

"Nope, I'm just eating for two now. The jury's still out on your cooking." Joanne shot Maureen a dirty look. "I'm joking, Pookie! Your cooking's fine."

"Good, it better be." Maureen down the rest of her soda and stood up. she felt a gentle pressure from the inside of her stomach. Gasping, she grabbed her stomach. In a flash, Joanne was on her feet. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"It's kicking! I can feel my baby moving!" Joanne went over and put her hand on Maureen's stomach. Sure enough, the baby was kicking. Maureen was all smiles. "Oh God, this is real. It didn't really click a hundred percent before, but now I can feel my baby moving." Tears rolled down Maureen's cheeks. Joanne kissed them away softly.

"That's amazing. Hey little guy." Maureen crossed her arms over her chest.

"No way, this is a girl."

"And how exactly do you know that?"

"I just do. I know that I am having a baby girl," Maureen insisted. Joanne kissed her cheek softly.

"Whatever you say, Honeybear."

"Damn right whatever I say." Joanne smacked Maureen's ass before going to clean up the dinner plates.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12:**

Groaning, Maureen hoisted herself to her feet to answer the door. Joanne was too busy taking a shower after a long day at work. Maureen opened the door and was greeted by Collins.

"Hey Mo, how are you?"  
"Sore, my back is _killing_ me, and you made me get up and walk all the way across the room. Since when have you knocked?" Maureen snapped.

"Since I caught you and Joanne having sex on the couch."

"Does it look like we'd be having sex any time soon!?" Maureen demanded as she motioned towards her growing stomach. Collins flopped down on a free chair.

"I'm sorry Maureen." Maureen carefully sat back down too.

"It's fine. So, how are you?" Collins shook his head; he would _never_ understand women.

"Pretty good. Work is keeping me pretty busy, but I finally found the time to see my two favorite women."

"Don't let Joanne know that you're not here to see her then," Maureen joked. Right then, Joanne came out of the bedroom in sweatpants and a tank top.

"Hi Collins." She leaned over and kissed Collins' cheek. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to check up on you two." Collins turned his attention back to Maureen. "So, how's the pregnancy treating you?" Maureen groaned loudly.

"Horrible. My ankles are huge, I have stretch marks, my back is absolutely killing me, and it feels like the baby is trying to come through my bellybutton." Collins chuckled. "It's not funny! I'm absolutely miserable." Collins patted Maureen's leg to comfort her.

"You're almost through it, Mo. How many more weeks do you have?"  
"Five," Maureen and Joanne replied at the same time. Maureen's face lit up.

"Wanna see new pictures? We just went to the doctor's a few days ago," she chirped, completely better from her little rant.

"Sure." Maureen tried to get to her feet again.

"Oh Honeybear, I'll get them." Maureen flopped back on the couch.

"I hate this. I feel like a fat, bloated walrus."

"A walrus?" Collins repeated.

"Yes, a walrus. You gotta problem with that?" Collins shook his head.

"No Maureen. You go on being a walrus." Joanne handed Collins the sonogram printouts. "Wow, that's amazing! All that's growing inside of you." Maureen leaned against Collins' arm to get a better look.

"It is amazing," she breathed as she outlined the image of her baby with her finger tip. Collins and Joanne exchanged glances with small smiles on their faces.

Several evenings later, Joanne slide under the soft covers next to Maureen. Maureen was propped up rubbing her ever-growing stomach.

"Hey Pookie, I was thinking," she started. Joanne sat up. This couldn't be good. "I've been thinking about where I want to have the baby."

"What do you mean where? You'll have it here at the hospital."

"There are other options besides a hospital."

"Like what?"

"Like, umm…homebirth."

"Homebirth?" Joanne repeated slowly as if trying to get a feel for this concept. "I don't know, honey…"

"Come on, Joanne, can't we at least talk about it? I mean, people did it for thousands of years, so something about it had to have been working. This is something I want to do!"

"It doesn't matter if _you_ want it; you have to think about the baby. What's good for it?"

"I think that this will be good for it. You know, away from all the chaos of a hospital."

"The chaos of a hospital has everything you'd need in case something goes wrong." Maureen spun one of Joanne's tight curls around her forefinger.

"Could we at least talk to a midwife about it?" She began to pout. "Please Pookie?" Joanne sighed. She knew that Maureen wasn't going to let this go, once she had her mind set on something, she didn't let it go.

"Okay, fine, we'll look into it." Maureen pecked Joanne on the cheek to say thank you before lying down and going to bed. After a few minutes of enjoyed silence, Joanne followed in suit.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13:**

Maureen and Joanne sat down across from the midwife suggested to them by their OBGYN. The midwife, Anne, was in her thirties with fiery red, curly hair that stuck up all over the place.

"So, Ms. Johnson, is this your first child?" she asked. Maureen laced her fingers with Joanne's.

"Yeah, this is my first baby."

"And when are you due?"  
"In about a month." Anne smiled.

"Are you excited?"

"Yeah, I am." Anne scribbled something down in her notebook.

"I have to ask you a few personal questions, okay?" Maureen nodded. "Okay, first, have you ever done any drugs?"

"Yeah. I smoked cigarettes and marijuana, and I used to drink." Anne continued to take diligent notes.

"Are you sexually active?"  
"Yes, well, before I got so huge!" Both Joanne and Anne cracked smiles.

"Do you have any STDs?"  
"No." Anne asked Maureen several more questions before she was done. She grabbed a stack of brochures off her desk and handed them to Maureen.

"These are about home birthing. I'll stop by your apartment once a week to check up on your and the baby until you give birth, okay?"  
"Yeah, okay." Joanne stood up and helped Maureen to her feet. They both shook Anne's hand.

"It was nice meeting you," Joanne said in her usual, polite voice.

"Same here." Maureen and Joanne said their goodbyes to Anne and left to go home and relax.

A week later, Maureen was lounged across the couch flipping mindlessly through the channels hoping to find something half-decent to watch. Hissing, she rubbed her stomach as a dull pain throbbed through her abdomen.

"Are you okay?" Joanne asked as she came out of the kitchen.

"Just another one of those stupid practice contractions," Maureen complained. Joanne kissed the top of her head.

"They're called Braxton Hicks Contractions, Honeybear." Maureen rolled her eyes in annoyance.

"Whatever, they're a bitch. And, my ribs are now considered a jungle gym." Joanne laughed. "It's not funny!"

"I know, Honeybear, I'm sorry. Do you need anything?" Maureen stopped to think. Joanne knew that that meant that she was trying to decide what to eat next.

"Tomato soup, please."

"Sure, I'll make some for the both of us." Joanne pecked Maureen on the lips before going to make dinner.

That night, Maureen silently crept into the nursery. Pale moonlight cast a warm glow throughout the small room. Maureen ran her fingertips along the smooth wooden furniture. She picked up a soft stuffed duck and held it close. After a few seconds, she carefully put it back in the exact same place; everything had to be perfect for the arrival of the baby. Maureen shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other. A dull, aching pain began to form in her lower back. She carefully lowered herself into the rocker next to the window. The soft cushions she had made greatly helped with the pain. Maureen rocked herself back and forth with her feet. Soon, she was fast asleep.

Joanne rolled over. When she didn't feel Maureen's warm body pressed up against hers, she sat up. Sure enough, Maureen wasn't there. Joanne got out of bed and opened the bathroom door. The bathroom was pitch black. Joanne pulled on her bathrobe and went to go find Maureen. As she walked down the hall, she noticed that the nursery door was open. She went inside and found Maureen fast asleep in the rocker. Joanne grabbed a spare blanket out of the closet and gently spread it out over Maureen. She looked so peaceful asleep in her rocker, that Joanne didn't have the heart to wake her. Joanne kissed her forehead softly and went back to bed for a few more hours.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14:**

Mimi came out of the bathroom looking unusually pale. Roger got to his feet and approached her. He gently stroked her cheek with the back of his hand.

"Are you feeling okay?" he asked with concern for his wife written across his face. Nodding, Mimi wrapped her arms around Roger's waist and buried her face in his chest.

"Could you just hold me?" she asked in a muffled voice. Roger buried his face in Mimi's wild hair and held her as close as possible. Mimi relaxed in his strong arms and closed her eyes. Roger smelled like cigarettes; he would always smell like cigarettes, no matter what. Just as they got comfortable, the phone rang, shattering the moment.

Earlier that day, Joanne leaned over and pecked Maureen lightly on the lips. Maureen happily returned the kiss. Joanne then rubbed Maureen's large stomach.

"Are you sure you don't want me to take a few days off to be here with you?" she asked…again.

"I'm sure. You go to work; I'll call you at lunchtime." Joanne gave Maureen another goodbye kiss and left for work.

That afternoon, Maureen kept shifting uncomfortably on the couch. Something she had eaten definitely wasn't agreeing with her. Somehow, she managed to get to her feet and waddled over to the bathroom. The baby's head had dropped down into her cervix, making it feel like she was walking with something between her legs. As Maureen pulled down her pants, she felt a warm liquid rush down her legs.

"Oh God, oh God," she breathed. She was in labor!

Mimi reluctantly tore herself free of Roger's comforting warmth to go answer to phone on the other side of the loft.

"Hello?"

"Mimi? My water just broke, and I'm alone, and I can't get a hold of Joanne," Maureen spit out.

"Calm down, honey. Roger and I will be there in fifteen minutes. We're leaving right now. Just hang tight." Mimi said goodbye to Maureen and hung up the phone. When she turned around, she was face to face with Roger.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Maureen's in labor, we need to leave…._now_!" roger didn't need telling twice. He grabbed his jacket and rushed out the door with Mimi.

By the time Mimi and Roger got to Maureen, she was curled up on the couch clutching her stomach. Mimi rushed over to her and brushed her hair out of her face.

"Roger, call Joanne's office. Don't let them turn you away," she ordered. Roger rushed over to the phone and began to dial. Mimi rubbed Maureen's back to help keep her calm until Joanne arrived.

Joanne was in the middle of a _very_ important meeting when her secretary came bustling into the room.

"Ms. Jefferson-" she started.

"Not now, Sylvia," Joanne stated firmly.

"No, this is _really_ important." Sylvia leaned over and whispered something in Joanne's ear. Right away, Joanne's eyes lit up. She turned her attention to her colleagues.

"I'm terribly sorry, but my girlfriend just went into labor. If you'll talk to Sylvia, we can reschedule, and I'll treat you all to dinner. Right now, I really need to go home." Joanne swept her paperwork in her briefcase and rushed out of the room.

Roger helped Maureen stand up and get over to the bedroom. He kept a gentle hand on the small of her back. Maureen seemed to relax a little bit.

"Can we please walk around a little?" she asked.

"Sure." The sound of a door opening caught Maureen's attention.

"Is that Joanne?" she asked hopefully.

"No honey, it's just me," Mimi replied from the doorway. Maureen continued to walk around with Roger helping her.

Twenty minutes later, the front door burst open, and Joanne flew inside. She could hear low voices coming from the bedroom, so she went there. Maureen was propped up in bed, sipping on some water. Joanne ran over and wrapped her arms around Maureen.

"Have you called Anne?" she asked.

"She said that I have to call when the contractions are two minutes apart."

"How far apart are they?" Maureen clutched Joanne's arm firmly.

"Three minutes," she said through clenched teeth. Joanne stroked her hair softly.

"Do you want us to stay?" Mimi asked quietly.

"If you don't mind. I may need you guys to help me before Anne gets here."

"That's fine." Mimi laced her fingers with Roger's. "I'll go call Mark and Collins to let them know what's going on." With that said, Mimi gently pulled Roger out to the family room.

Once Mimi got off the phone with Mark and Collins, she curled up on the couch with her body pressed against Roger's.

"Should we be in there with them?" she asked quietly, in almost a weak voice.

"I think I can live without seeing the miracle of birth," Roger replied.

"Oh." Roger shifted so he could look at Mimi.

"What's wrong, babe?" Mimi looked at her lap.

"Nothing." Roger tipped Mimi's face up so he could look her in the eye.

"Then look at me and tell me that."

Just as Mimi opened her mouth to tell Roger what was wrong, Joanne called, "Hey Mimi, I need you and Roger to do something for me!" Roger and Mimi clambered off the couch and headed over to the bedroom.

In the bedroom, Maureen was curled up on her side moaning in pain. Beads of sweat were already forming on her brow. Joanne looked up from soothing Maureen.

"Roger, I need you to call the midwife. The number's on the fridge. Tell her who you are and that Maureen's contractions are two minutes apart," she ordered. Nodding, Roger left to do what Joanne needed.

"What can I do?" Mimi asked.

"Get a cool washcloth from the bathroom, please."

"Sure." Joanne turned her attention back to Maureen as Mimi left the room.

"It hurts," Maureen moaned. Very carefully, Joanne maneuvered her way behind Maureen. She slid her arms around her girlfriend and gently massaged her stomach.

"How's that? Does that feel better?" Maureen nodded meekly. Mimi returned and handed Joanne the washcloth. Joanne gently dabbed Maureen's sweaty forehead. Mimi sat next to Maureen's feet.

"How are you doing, Mo?" she asked.

"How the hell do you think I'm doing?" Maureen snapped through clenched teeth.

"Shh, don't take this out on Mimi," Joanne cooed. "Just relax. Roger's calling Anne, so she'll be here soon." Maureen leaned back against Joanne and closed her eyes. Joanne continued to rub her stomach until she fell into a light sleep.

Maureen's slumber was short lived. By the time Anne arrived half an hour later, she was awake and swearing profusely again. Collins, Mark and Roger insisted that they would just get in the way, so they remained in the family room. As Anne prepped Maureen, Mimi stood in the corner, studying the scene with extreme concentration. Joanne sat, without fail, next to Maureen, holding her hand to comfort her. She couldn't help but feel excited for Maureen; her girlfriend was going to be a mother…and so was she.

Maureen's cries of pain made their way past the closed bedroom door, causing Roger, Mark and Collins to all look at each other.

"I'm _so_ glad that I'm a guy," Roger commented, breaking the uneasy silence that had settled upon the trio. Collins chuckled.

"Childbirth sounds painful," Mark added. Roger let out a sigh and ran his fingers through his long hair.

"Mimi's been hinting at wanting a baby," he confessed quietly. "But I keep brushing her off."

"You don't want kids?" Mark asked. Roger shrugged.

"I dunno. Right now's not really the time worry about it." Roger's tone left an obvious meaning; that was the end of the conversation.

Meanwhile, Anne gently rubbed Maureen's leg to calm her down. Sweat dripped from Maureen's forehead.

"Keep pushing, Maureen, you're almost there," Anne urged. Maureen fell back against the bed.

"I can't, I'm not ready to be a mom!" she cried. Fear and anxiety swept through her. "I don't want to have this baby!"

"Give me your hand; I want you to feel something." Without waiting for an answer, Anne took Maureen's hand and pressed it between her legs. "Feel that? That's the top of your baby's head. You're going to have this baby, and you're going to be a fantastic mother."

"But I'm not-" A contraction washed over Maureen, causing her to hiss in pain. Mimi gently dabbed her forehead with a washcloth.

"Keep pushing, Maureen, you're almost there." Maureen squeezed Joanne's hand as hard as she could. Joanne did her best to ignore the pain; her girlfriend needed her right now.

Not long after, Anne gently eased the baby out of Maureen. The amazing sound of it crying filled the room. A smile spread across Maureen's face.

"You have a beautiful baby girl," Anne said. Everyone was all smiles.

"I told you it was a girl," Maureen said to Joanne. Joanne kissed her forehead softly.

"I know, you were right, Honeybear." Anne carefully laid the baby down on Maureen's chest. She had a thick patch of dark brown hair and gorgeous hazel eyes.

"Hi my beautiful baby," Maureen cooed as she stroked her baby's hair.

"What's her name, Mo?" Mimi asked.

"Her name's Juliet Catherine." Maureen rubbed Juliet's back. Her skin was soft and flawless. "You're perfect, my little baby." Mimi climbed off the bed.

"I'll go tell the guys," she said as she left the room. Maureen leaned back against the soft pillows behind her. Anne took Juliet and wrapped her in a soft, pink blanket. Maureen felt her eyes get heavy.

"Are you with us, Honeybear?" Joanne asked. Maureen nodded lazily. It was like all the energy had been drained from her. "Why don't you rest? I'll take Juliet out to see everyone."

"Okay." Joanne knew that Maureen _must_ be tired if she didn't argue at all.

"Maureen, I need to do a quick checkup on you, and then you can rest; I promise," Anne explained. Maureen groaned. Anne carefully handed Juliet over to Joanne. Joanne held the infant with great skill and care. She couldn't help but feel love and affection for something so small and innocent.

All the Bohemians crowded around Maureen and Joanne's family room, anxiously waited to see the newborn baby. Joanne emerged from the bedroom holding a small pink bundle. Mimi leapt to her feet and rushed over to her.

"Look at her," she cooed. "She's so tiny." Juliet simply stared at Mimi. Her small face squished down in her bundle, and her pale skin glowed in the light. "Hi beautiful." Everyone else gathered around Joanne.

"What's her name, Jo?" Collins asked.

"Juliet Catherine Johnson." Juliet worked her hand out from the tight wrappings of her blanket. Her small hand wrapped around Roger's finger. Joanne stayed for a few more minutes before going back to Maureen.

Mimi sat curled up on the couch next to Roger and played with the hair on the back of his neck. She slid her free hand over his hand on his thigh.

"I can't believe how tiny that baby is," Roger commented. Collins chuckled.

"They usually are small," he pointed out.

"I _know_ that, but still…"

"Looks like Roger has a new girl in his life. Watch out, Mimi," Mark joked. Mimi cracked a small smile.

"No way, I've just never seen something so small before. I guess it would be…interesting to have a baby." Mimi took a deep breath.

"Maybe you'll get that chance," she told Roger. Roger's head whipped around to face his wife.

"What?"

"Roger, honey, I'm pregnant."


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15:**

Roger froze. Mimi ran her fingers through his hair so she could get a better look at his face. She desperately searched it for his reaction.

"Congratulations!" Collins bellowed, breaking the uncomfortable silence. Mimi ran her finger along Roger's jaw.

"Roger, are you okay?" she asked tentatively.

"I don't know, Mimi," Roger snapped. He stood up, leaving Mimi stunned.

"Roger, please." Mimi stood up and stroked Roger's cheek with the back of her hand. "We've always talked about starting a family, and now we're going to get the chance."

"We're not going to live long enough to raise a family."

"But we can try!" Mimi cried. Before Roger could say anything else, Mimi ran out of the apartment with tears in her eyes.

Joanne kissed Maureen's cheek softly. Maureen was fast asleep with a blanket wrapped around her. Joanne gently laid Juliet in the bassinet at the foot of the bed. Soon, she was fast asleep too. The sound of yelling caught Joanne's attention. She covered Juliet up with a blanket and went out to the family room. She arrived just in time to see Mimi flee the apartment. Roger flopped down on the couch with his arms crossed over his chest.

"What happened?" Joanne asked no one in particular.

"I'm fucked, that's what happened," Roger replied bitterly. Seeing that Roger wasn't going to be any help, Joanne looked to Collins and Mark for some _real_ answers.

"Mimi's pregnant," Collins explained.

"Congratulations."

"Why the hells is everyone telling me that!? Don't congratulate me!"

"Roger, please keep your voice down. Maureen needs her sleep," Joanne scolded quietly. Roger turned his attention back to staring daggers at the floor.

Mimi stormed into the loft and slammed the door behind her. Roger's reaction had been the complete opposite of what she had expected. They were going to be a family. A _real_ family; not the kind of family Mimi had grown up with. She never knew her parents; she had been raised by her grandparents. When she was sixteen, they moved into a nursing home and sent her to live with her uncle. Mimi's uncle was a drunk with a _horrible_ temper. Mimi only stayed there for two months before running away to New York City.

Mimi retreated to her bedroom and flopped down on the mattress on the floor that served as a bed. She rolled over and stared at the cracks in the ceiling; allowing herself to get lost in their maze.

"We're going to be a family," she vowed as her hand drifted to her flat stomach.

Roger left shortly before Mark and Collins. He needed a chance to talk to Mimi. They had to talk about some things privately. Roger slid open the loft door.

"Mimi?" he called. When he got no response, he went over to their bedroom and opened the door. He found Mimi lying on her back staring at the ceiling still. Upon seeing Roger, Mimi rolled onto her side so her back was to him. Roger let out a sigh. "Please honey, I want to talk to you."

"Well I don't want to talk to you," Mimi spat. Roger took a seat on the bed.

"Then you can listen," he said simply. "I was an ass. I'm honestly afraid. Will our baby have the virus? Will I be a good father? Will I _live_long enough to see this baby graduate high school like neither of us did?" Mimi sat up and wrapped her arms around Roger from behind in a source of comfort for both of them.

"People like us are living longer and longer each year. Who knows, there could be a cure soon. Right now, we've got to focus on the fact that we're going to be parents." Mimi squeezed Roger tightly and rested her chin on his shoulder comfortably.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16:**

Joanne rolled over in bed. A whimper caught her attention so she crawled out of bed to check on Juliet. Juliet was fast asleep. As Joanne slid back under the covers, she heard the whimper again; it was coming from Maureen. Joanne turned on the light next to the bed and shook Maureen's shoulder firmly.

"Maureen, Maureen wake up!" she hissed. Maureen's eyes flew open. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, just a bad dream," Maureen replied shortly.

"Do you want to talk about it?"  
"I don't remember what happened." It was obvious that Maureen was lying through her teeth to Joanne. "Goodnight, Pookie," she murmured sleepily. Her eyes slowly closed, and sleep claimed her. Sighing, Joanne turned off the light and lay back down.

A piercing wail quickly shattered Joanne's sleep. She felt the bed shift as Maureen stumbled to her feet. Maureen swore rather loudly. She _hated_ getting up in the middle of the night. Already, she was counting down the days until Juliet began to sleep through the night. Maureen carefully picked Juliet up and carried her to the nursery to feed her in private. Joanne pulled the quilt spread across the bed tighter around herself and returned to sleep.

Two weeks later, Joanne was busy flipping through files at work when the telephone on her desk began to ring. She decided to let the answering machine pick it up; she had work to do.

"Pookie? Please, if you're there, pick up." Right away, Joanne could tell that something was wrong with Maureen. She tripped over the piles of file folders on the floor and grabbed the phone off her desk.

"I'm here, baby, what's wrong?" she asked.

"It's Juliet, she, she won't stop crying. I've done everything! I fed her, changed her diaper, burped her, bathed her _and_ put her in a new outfit. All I've heard for the past forty-five minutes is crying. She just won't stop," Maureen sobbed. Joanne's heart tore in two. She couldn't leave work; she had so much to get done.

"I'm sorry, Honeybear, I can't leave. Call Mimi, she's off work today. I swear, I'll leave at the first moment I can."

"Joanne! Please don't hang up! I can't handle this."

"I'll be home at five thirty, no later. I love you." Before Maureen could protest, Joanne hung up the phone. She hated leaving Maureen in such a state, but she needed to accept responsibility for her actions.

Mimi rushed over to Maureen's apartment. The desperate phone call had caused her to get really worried. When she opened the front door, Maureen was holding Juliet. Both of them were crying. Mimi gently took Juliet from Maureen.

"She won't stop crying, make her stop crying!" Maureen cried. Mimi carefully bounced Juliet up and down.

"Why don't you go take a nap? I'll stay with Juliet," she suggested.

"Are you sure?"

"Of course, go ahead." Maureen nodded and went to the bedroom. When she got to the bedroom, she froze. All she could focus on were the memories of pain and doubt. She remembered giving birth but not the joy. Maureen spun around and dashed down the hall.

"I'm gonna lay down here," she said quickly.

"That's fine. Do you want me to stay until Joanne gets home?" Maureen nodded. Already, she was half asleep on the couch. Mimi stood up, and Juliet whimpered. "Shh, shh, it's okay cutie-pie. I'm gonna get you a bottle," Mimi cooed. She grabbed a bottle out of the refrigerator and popped it in the microwave. Juliet whimpered again. Mimi stuck her finger in the mouth to keep her occupied for the time being. Juliet instantly fell silent and she suckled on Mimi's finger. "Why aren't you like this for your mommy?" Juliet simply blinked. Mimi kissed her forehead softly. In eight more months, she'd have her own baby.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17:**

As Joanne unlocked the front door, she heard the distinct sound of Juliet crying. When she got inside, she found Maureen sprawled out across the couch on her stomach with a pillow over her head.

"Maureen!" Joanne yelled before going to get Juliet. Maureen's head shot up for a second before she went back to her original position.

Joanne gently lifted Juliet from her bassinet. Right away, the infant fell silent in Joanne's arms. All she wanted was to be held. Joanne kissed her soft cheek and carried her back out to Maureen.

Maureen felt the couch shift as Joanne took a seat by her feet. She sat up and held her pillow tightly against her chest.

"Honeybear, we need to talk," Joanne said as she struggled to keep calm. This whole ordeal was starting to stress her out. "This is your baby; you need to take care of her."

"I can't!" Maureen cried. "She knows that I didn't want her. She hates me!"

"Juliet's a baby; she doesn't know how to hate. She needs love from her mother, so hold her." Maureen pushed Juliet away roughly, causing the infant to start crying.

"Stop it! Just stop it!" Maureen screamed. "Leave me alone!" Joanne was stunned. Things with Maureen were far worse than she had imagined.

The following morning, Joanne woke Maureen up earlier than usual. Maureen groaned in frustration and protest.

"Come on, Maureen, we have to go."

"Go where?" Maureen muttered bitterly.

"I'm taking you to see a doctor, you need help. Maureen pulled the quilt over her head.

"I'm fine," she grumbled.

"Then get your ass out of bed and take care of your daughter!" Maureen didn't budge. Joanne whipped the quilt off the bed. "Get up! We're leaving in half an hour." Joanne stood at the foot of the bed for another few seconds before going back to Juliet.

Maureen sat with Joanne in the doctor's office. Collins was at their apartment babysitting his favorite niece. The doctor finally came into the small room.

"Hello, my name is Dr. Hampton; what can I do for you?" she asked. Her kind personality made Joanne feel like everything would be alright.

"I have no clue; I don't even know why the hell I'm here," Maureen replied rather rudely. Joanne shot her a dirty look.

"Maureen's be acting…unusual since she had her baby a few weeks ago. It's been getting really bad," she explained.

"I'm fine!" Maureen argued. "I'm just tired from taking care of Juliet!"

"That's just the thing; _I'm_ taking care of Juliet all the time!" Dr. Hampton took careful notes of the argument.

"Okay, I think that that's enough," she interjected. "If you don't mind, I'd like to talk to Ms. Johnson alone." Joanne stood up and grabbed her purse. She wanted to be there with Maureen, but she was willing to do whatever it took to her old girlfriend back.

Once Joanne was gone, Dr. Hampton turned to Maureen. Maureen looked unnaturally tired and simply sickly.

"Okay, Maureen," Dr. Hampton said as she glanced over Maureen's file. "How are you feeling right now?" Maureen shrugged.

"Pissed at Joanne for dragging me here?" It was more like a question than an answer.  
"That's completely understandable. So you want to go home?" Maureen shook her head.

"No, I hate being at home."

"Why?"  
"I can't stand it!" Maureen slid off the examination table and began to pace. "She's always crying. She knows that I never planned to have her."

"You're talking about your daughter, right?" Maureen nodded. "Who's the baby's father?"

"I don't know! Joanne's my girlfriend. One time, when she was out of town, I cheated on her. Next thing I know, I'm pregnant! Juliet knows that she's a mistake."  
"Maureen, when's the last time you held Juliet for an extended period of time?" Maureen froze. None of these questions were making any sense to her, but then again, she wasn't the doctor.

"I dunno."  
"Why don't you hold her?" Maureen quickly wiped away her tears.

"Every time I hold her, I, I have this weird feeling. I can't explain it; it reminds me of my nightmares."

"What are these nightmares about?" Maureen played nervously with the bottom of her shirt.

"Juliet's birth," she replied quietly. "Is something wrong with me?" she asked timidly after a few seconds.

"Why would you say that?"  
"I don't feel right, you know, but I didn't want to say anything about it."  
Dr. Hampton made one final note in Maureen's file and said, "Why don't you get Joanne so we can all talk together?"

Joanne sat next to Maureen and laced their fingers together as a sign of support. She knew that something was wrong with Maureen, but she had no clue what it was.

"I'm going to prescribe Maureen an antidepressant," Dr. Hampton started. "from what I have gathered, she's suffering from postpartum depression."  
"What's that mean?" Maureen asked. It sounded scary to her.

"It's a type of depression that follows childbirth. There's nothing to worry about, medication will make you feel as good as new." Dr. Hampton handed Maureen her prescription. "Do either of you have any questions?" Maureen shook her head.

"I think we're good," Joanne replied. She and Maureen said their goodbyes and left to go back home.

As soon as Maureen and Joanne got home, Maureen went straight to the master bedroom. Joanne filled Collins in on what had happened at the doctor's office.

"Go take care of her, I'll stay here with Miss Juliet," Collins insisted. Joanne didn't waste any time going after Maureen.

Joanne found Maureen curled up on the bed crying. She sat on the bed next to her and rubbed her back.

"Its okay, Honeybear, its okay," she cooed. Maureen continued to cry. Joanne gently pulled her onto her lap and held her close. "We're going to get through this together; I promise."

**A/N:** Next chapter is the last!

Tina101


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18:**

Maureen came out of the bedroom two weeks later. She carefully picked Juliet up and cuddled her close to her body. Joanne watched the scene unfold out of the corner of her eye as she worked. Maureen had made a complete one eighty. She spent as much time with Juliet as possible; cooing over her and spoiling her rotten. Feeling that she was being watched, Maureen looked at Joanne and smiled.

"What?" she asked innocently.

"Nothing," Joanne replied quickly as she went back to her work. Maureen put Juliet back in her carrier so she could nap and sauntered over to Joanne.

"You know, Juliet will be busy napping for a few hours, giving us some time alone," she purred in Joanne's ear. Right away, Joanne put down the file she was reading over and kissed Maureen tenderly. Maureen carefully eased her tongue into Joanne's mouth, instantly intensifying the kiss. The couple stumbled over to the bedroom for some well deserved time alone before Juliet woke up in need of something to eat.

Roger slid open the loft door. He was surprised to see Mimi sitting on the couch. Usually she was at work at the local bar at this hour. As soon as Roger realized that Mimi was crying, he rushed over and gently pulled her to her feet.

"What's wrong, baby? He asked as he wiped away Mimi's tears with his thumbs. Mimi continued to cry even harder.

"I left work early, because I needed to go to the doctor's. My period started." Roger's mind began to spin.

"Your period?" He didn't know much about pregnancy, but he knew that that wasn't right. "But I thought that you were pregnant."  
"Not anymore. The baby's gone, Roger." Roger seemed to be frozen in time while he comprehended what Mimi had just told him. They weren't going to be parents. Mimi began to pound against his chest with her small fists. She wasn't all that strong, but it still hurt. "It's not fair!" she screamed over and over again. Suddenly, her knees gave out from exhaustion. Roger lowered her to the dirty floor and held her as close as possible. "All I wanted was a baby," she sobbed into his chest. Roger stroked Mimi's soft hair to comfort her. He _hated _seeing her like this. She had already been through enough; she didn't deserve another bad thing to happen to her. As her husband, Roger felt that it was his job to keep her safe and happy and to provide for her whatever she wanted or needed. Well, she wanted a baby, and he was going to make sure that they had a baby before time ran out for either of them. Living with HIV, they only had a limited amount of time to start a family.

"I promise you, we_will_ have a baby."

**The End**

**Thank You, Jonathan Larson**

**A/N:** Thirty nine pages!! My goal was forty!! Anyway, keep an eye out for the sequel!

Tina101


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